


The Five Times Dimitri and Dedue Went To A Wedding And The One Time It Was Their Own

by scatteringmyashes



Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: 5+1 Things, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Developing Relationship, M/M, Pre-Relationship, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Weddings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-24
Updated: 2020-06-24
Packaged: 2021-03-03 21:01:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,790
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24902005
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/scatteringmyashes/pseuds/scatteringmyashes
Summary: Dedue and Dimitri's relationship through five weddings and their own perfect wedding.
Relationships: Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd/Dedue Molinaro, Minor or Background Relationship(s)
Comments: 13
Kudos: 59





	The Five Times Dimitri and Dedue Went To A Wedding And The One Time It Was Their Own

**Author's Note:**

> This was written for the Dimidue Wedding Event that's happening on Twitter! There's a lot of cute art, so you should definitely check it out if you haven't. 
> 
> The background relationships are Ferdinand/Hubert, Dorothea/Petra, Linhardt/Caspar/Ashe, and Sylvain/Felix. 
> 
> I hope you enjoy!

_One._

Dedue barely remembered who Hubert von Vestra was, let alone cared about how the man was marrying someone with an equally ridiculous name, but when Dimitri also mentioned that he was invited, Dedue sent an affirmative R.S.V.P. 

_Do you want to drive to the wedding together?_ He texted his friend, as they both lived in the same area and the wedding was about an hour and a half out of the city. 

_Sure! I can pay for gas :)_ Came Dimitri's reply. 

So that was how Dedue found himself picking Dimitri up from his apartment on 42nd and Central. It wasn't the first time they had gone to an event together — Ingrid's birthday had been the most recent — as Dimitri wasn't the best behind the wheel.

"You look handsome," Dedue said as Dimitri clambered into the hybrid. 

"Thank you." Dimitri beamed. "You look good too." He settled in, a letter in his lap. "I have not seen Ferdinand in many months. I was surprised to get an invite. I didn't know you knew him." 

"I don't." Dedue waited for the road to clear to pull back into the street. "Hubert and I shared a class in college." 

Dimitri laughed. "I'm sure that he was… interesting. Ferdinand speaks of him often. Mostly good things, obviously. I'm sure he's charming." He tugged at his collar. "Growing up, he and Edelgard were very close. I remember his affinity for the color black." 

"Is she going?" Dedue asked. 

"Oh, she's Hubert's best woman. Person of honor?" Dimitri shrugged. "She'll be there." 

Dedue resisted the urge to ask for more details. He would find them out soon enough, after all. 

The drive was peaceful. It was easy being in Dimitri's company, the two talking about their work week while listening to whatever Dedue's Spotify pulled up. Life was… busy. They didn't chat every day, not like when they were younger. That didn't make their friendship any less strong. 

As they pulled up to the address, Dedue had to double check that his Maps was still working. 

"I think we're lost," Dedue confessed. 

Dimitri tapped on the window, pointing to a sign that announced that they were at _Eliwood Family Farm._ There was a herd of horses on the wood panel. 

"We're at the right place," he reassured Dedue. 

The most distinct memory Dedue had of Hubert was the time the man got in a two hour argument with the teacher over the morality of anarchy. Hubert hadn't really talked to Dedue outside of class and they were only Facebook friends by virtue of having many mutual friends. Dedue didn't know how Bernadetta knew Hubert, but he had never asked. 

Dedue had not expected the wedding to be, for lack of a better term, rustic. 

Everyone was still in formal wear and it probably cost more than Dedue made it a year. It tried very hard to be rustic, though, with edges of polish. The entire wedding was outside, fancy lights hanging from iron frames. There were vases made of crystal and custom placards with everyone's name on the reception tables. Dedue couldn't help but take his phone out and snag a few pictures. 

"This is far from what I expected," he told Dimitri when he was confident no one else could hear. "Hubert did not seem…" 

"Not at all," Dimitri agreed. "But it's good. Ferdinand is good for him. Oh, I think that's Dorothea. Come on." 

Dedue was helpless to do anything but follow his friend through the crowd. 

During the ceremony, Ferdinand rode down the aisle on a horse that he then passed off to Dorothea. She stood with the creature for the rest of the vows. It was very well behaved, only interrupting once to snort and look at Hubert when it came time for the vows. 

Ferdinand looked quite handsome with his hair laced with white flowers and a wide smile on his face. Everyone on his side also had white flowers either in their hair or somewhere on their head. Dedue recognized Dorothea from Dimitri's last birthday, Lorenz from Sylvain's Instagram, but didn't know who the third was — she was a woman with short orange hair and a bright grin and kept elbowing Lorenz through the service. 

Hubert wore a contrasting suit, dark blue where Ferdinand's was maroon. But it went with his white gloves and the red flower placed behind one ear. On his side was Edelgard and Bernadetta. They also were blue with red flowers in their hair. Bernadetta had redyed her hair — Dedue knew he had to compliment the new shade later. 

Their vows were sweet. Vaguely sickeningly poetic and verbose, but sweet. Dedue didn't know if Hubert describing Ferdinand as a _summer breeze_ was supposed to be a Shakespeare reference, but when Hubert added _I would gladly brave the second circle of Hell with you_ , Dedue confirmed that he was a little familiar with classical literature. 

After the ceremony — there were _fireworks_ which, well, Dedue didn't even want to think about the logistics — came the reception. Thankfully, Dimitri and Dedue were both at the same table. 

They shared it with someone named Constance, who was a distant relative to Ferdinand, and her plus one, Hapi. The two were very kind, though Dedue quickly begged off to try to catch one of his closer friends. 

"Oh, may I join you?" Dimitri asked. Dedue nodded and the two left to try to locate others. 

It was mostly futile — there were too many people and too many conversations, though it was such a pleasant environment that Dedue hardly minded. The music was good, the food was delicious, and Dimitri kept looking back to make sure that Dedue wasn't lost in the crowd. 

"Kiss! Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!" Someone started chatting, and soon the rest of the crowd picked it up. 

Dedue grinned, joining in. Dimitri cupped his hands around his mouth and let out an excited holler when Ferdinand pressed his lips against Hubert's. That made Dedue smile even wider. 

The cheer rolled across the party. Hubert was blushing a violent red, the shade so vibrant it almost matched Ferdinand's hair. Dedue chuckled. Dimitri met his eyes, that blue brighter than the sky. 

It was, Dedue would later say, a good wedding. Not one that he would have ever imagined, but nice. 

_Thanks for the ride!_ Dimitri texted the next day. _I enjoyed your company — we should spend more time together._

_Yes,_ Dedue replied, _I would like that._

_Two._

"Thank you again for this," Dorothea said once again, hugging Dimitri without hesitation and taking Dedue's hand in both of hers. She was wearing a baby blue pantsuit, her hair pulled back with a black silk ribbon. 

"Of course," Dimitri reassured her. 

"I am honored that you trust us enough," Dedue added. Petra nodded, affixing her warm eyes on Dedue. Her pencil skirt and blouse were a giveaway that she had rushed from work. Her hair fell in waves, a large hibiscus the only indulgence in appearance. "You both look wonderful," Dedue continued. 

"Thank you," Petra told him. "I am happy to share this moment with you." 

"And we will have a proper ceremony as soon as all this nonsense with green cards is sorted," Dorothea affirmed. She let Dimitri go — and really, Dedue didn't even hug him that long and they were dating. 

Dating. It still felt new. Like if Dedue spoke of it too much, it would evaporate in the morning with the dew. 

"We have wine in the car." Dimitri bit his bottom lip, glancing up at the entrance. "Well, we follow you." 

The group piled into a waiting room crowded with others who were waiting to see the official. There weren't enough seats, but Petra fit comfortably in Dorothea's lap as Dimitri and Dedue stood nearby. 

Someone had a little baby in their lap that was staring at Dimitri — or, more accurately, staring at his eyepatch. Dedue worried his bottom lip, not sure if he should mention something. The decision was taken away from him when Dimitri made a silly face and the child laughed. A weight lifted from Dedue's chest. 

_Of course_ , he thought, remembering many an occasion similar to this, _there was nothing to worry about._

"Dorothea Arnault and Petra Macneary?" Someone shouted, a clipboard in one hand and a frazzled expression on their face. Petra got up and held out a hand for Dorothea. 

"Are you ready to be married?" Petra asked, a nervous smile playing at her lips. Dorothea nodded, hugging her close. Their foreheads pressed together in a moment of surprising tenderness. 

"I love you. I cannot wait to call you my wife." Dorothea kissed Petra softly. 

"Arnault and Macneary," the clerk yelled again. Dedue cleared his throat. 

"I believe that we are about to miss our appointment," he informed them. Dorothea laughed and took Petra's arm, running over to the clerk. 

Dimitri reached out and squeezed Dedue's hand. It could have meant any number of things. Reassurance, affection, anxiety — but Dedue thought that there was a little promise there too. Something small, something precious, something too new to name. 

But he squeezed Dimitri's hand back all the same. 

_Three._

"Oh God, I feel like I'm going to be sick. Or pass out. Or both," Ashe confessed, pacing back and forth with enough haste that it appeared that he was trying to set the carpet on fire. Dedue held out a hand and gently grasped his shoulder. 

"Ashe, you will be okay. Do you want to breathe with me?" He asked, thinking of the exercises that he often did with Dimitri when things were not going well. 

Ashe shook his head, shoulders slumping. 

"I just — people are supposed to be nervous when they get married. They're committing to the love of their life. And here I am, committing to both of them!" Ashe wrung his hands. "Oh, I'm starting to feel faint again." 

He didn't have time to do much of anything, because then the door opened and Byleth stuck their head in. 

"We're starting soon, unless you have any emergencies that I need to take care of," they said. They looked at Ashe and then at Dedue. "If he is feeling faint, I recommend tea." 

Ashe groaned. Byleth shut the door. Dedue considered the series of events leading up to him being best man at Ashe's wedding to Linhardt and Caspar, two people Dedue would never have considered the type to marry, let alone have an elaborate ceremony. But there was also something very perfect about the trio finally making it official in their own way. 

"Do you not want to marry them?" Dedue asked.

"What? No, that's not it at all," Ashe insisted. "I — I love them. Both of them. We've been together for years now. I can hardly imagine life without them. But — But something about a marriage is so… final." He made a face, eyebrows furrowing and his mouth forming a thin line. "I remember my parents were always happy, but you meet so many people who marry and things change and then it just grows… bitter. I don't know what I'll do if that happens."

"It will not," Dedue reassured him. "Linhardt and Caspar hold a great amount of affection for you too, Ashe. I can see it when they look at you. It will go well." He hugged his friend. Ashe returned it with gusto, nodding his head slowly.

"You're right. You're usually right." 

"There's a reason I am your best man," Dedue teased. "Now let's go. I doubt that you want to be late." 

"Linhardt is always late," Ashe pointed out with a laugh. He rubbed at his eyes. "Oh, I'm acting so ridiculous… Thank you, Dedue. I really appreciate you talking some sense into me." 

On that cheerful note, Ashe fixed his suit and tie, made sure that Dedue was following, and strode out of the room towards the reception hall.

It was a ceremony unlike any other Dedue had attended and, he assumed, one unlike any other he'd ever go to. Linhardt, Caspar, and Ashe all walked down three aisles in sync, meeting in the center where Byleth was officiating. There were chairs set up since no one could reasonably expect Linhardt to stand for an hour, and no one wanted to make him the odd one out. When he finally called it quits, Caspar and Ashe also sat. Byleth resembled a professor more than an officiate, which was apt considering how Byleth had met all of them. 

Then the swords got brought out. 

Dedue wasn't sure whether it was Caspar's idea or Ashe's and, frankly, he wouldn't put it past Linhardt to joke about it and the other two to take it seriously. But there was a sword fight for Linhardt's honor, which Dedue wasn't certain _wasn't_ a euphemism, that spanned the entire reception hall. At one point, Caspar jumped onto a table and shouted something about having the high ground. 

"If you stab yourselves, I am not performing medical services," Linhardt said from his chair. 

Ashe and Caspar did not seem to care, their vicious duel — where Ashe called Caspar the most bold knight he had ever faced and Caspar called him the cleverest — spanning several more minutes until the two locked swords and, with dramatics that Dorothea would be proud of, agreed to share Linhardt if he agreed. The entire room turned to look at the ever-exhausted doctor. 

"If I say yes, can we move on to food?" Linhardt asked. A chuckle rolled through the crowd and, with a flurry of their swords, Caspar and Ashe rushed to their now-husband to kiss.

"I now pronounce you three adventuring companions and husband's for life," Byleth stated. Their voice had not changed inflection the entire ceremony, but their lips quirked upwards when Caspar and Ashe kissed either side of Linhardt's face. "We will now eat in celebration of this big win." 

A cheer rose up. Sylvain wolf-whistled even as Felix rolled his eyes at his boyfriend's ridiculousness. Dedue laughed when Caspar picked Linhardt up, carrying him down the aisle with one arm while he held Ashe's hand. Dorothea waved with one hand, the other clasped in Petra's grasp. Even Hubert had a rare smile on his face, as if he actually experienced happiness for someone else and didn't bother hiding it for once. 

"The sword fight was very clever," Dimitri said during the meal. "Felix, did you help with that?" 

"Yes," Felix admitted, tone making it sound like such a burden though he was smiling. "Ashe asked if I could give them some pointers, but they ended up getting more advice from Dorothea than me. I try to hurt people when I'm fighting — it's what all the equipment is for." 

"Oh, I suppose it really is more like stage combat," Dimitri acknowledged. "Do you think that you would have a fight at your wedding?" 

Five years ago, Felix would have bristled at the implication that he would ever get married. But he wasn't twenty anymore and he had been dating Sylvain for three years and Dedue knew that even Rodrigue's very unsubtle questions weren't enough to phase him anymore. Dimitri's earnest inquiry was child's play. 

"No," Felix said, "I wouldn't want to send my husband to the ER." 

Privately, Dedue thought that the most likely fight would be between Felix and his father. He was smart enough not to say it aloud. 

"I think that my wedding will not have any sword fights," Dimitri said slowly, "though I suppose I'm open to the idea." He glanced at Dedue, who smiled back. 

"Perhaps that can be skipped," he agreed. A moment passed between them. Dedue wondered if Dimitri would want a big wedding. They certainly knew enough people to fill one. But was that what would work best for them? 

After all, Dimitri had a distaste for crowds and Dedue hardly held much love for ceremony. Then again, it would feel a little cold to have something too small. They could hardly have one with just family. Even accounting for Dimitri's step-sister and making the argument that Rodrigue was like an uncle and thus Felix was his cousin, that would hardly have a dozen attendants. 

No, they would have to find a middle ground. Something intimate but special. Close, but not exclusive. Special, but not— 

"I'm going to get more food," Ingrid announced, breaking Dedue out of his thoughts. "Does anyone else want anything?" 

"No, but thank you," Dimitri said. He smiled at Dedue. "What about you, my love?" 

"I am also full." Dedue heard something break — loud, glass, probably expensive — and then Caspar cackling loud enough that the sound bounced off the ceiling and around the room. He made a mental note to keep the fragile items to a minimum at any future wedding. 

_Four._

As Edelgard's step-brother, it was not a question of whether Dimitril would go to Edelgard's wedding, but rather how involved he would be. Dedue, as his now long-term and family approved boyfriend, was privy to all of the dramatics in a much different way than when he had been Ashe's best man. In that ceremony, it had been his responsibility — along with Ferdinand and Flayn — to help solve the problems. 

Now, Dedue got to experience them all second-hand. 

"Bernadetta is insisting that they be inside, except neither of them want a chapel and that's the only place our father will accept. He also wants her to wear white, which…” Dimitri made a face. “He also keeps asking if she has picked a priest yet to officiate.” 

“Isn’t Edelgard an atheist?” Dedue asked as he carded his fingers through Dimitri’s hair. 

“Yes.” Dimitri sighed. “She’s leaving our group chat on read.” 

When they had started cuddling, Dimitri had been a bundle of tension and nerves. Now, he was slightly more relaxed — his shoulders were less tense and his hands were waving around as he articulated his feelings with both verbal and somatic components. It wasn’t his wedding, but even though he wasn’t the closest with Edelgard, he was still invested. Dedue thought about how he would be if his sister got married and he knew he’d be just as bad, if not more so, and he couldn’t fault Dimitri for his feelings. 

That didn’t mean that he didn’t wish that Dimitri would also leave the chat on read from time to time. 

“Well, I am sure that it will be worth it,” Dedue murmured. He pressed his lips to Dimitri’s forehead, smiling as Dimitri let out a content hum. “Bernadetta is also very nervous. She seems convinced that your father doesn’t like her.”

“Oh, he thinks she’s a delight. He’s just glad that Edelgard isn’t able to marry Hubert. I cannot emphasize how much my father thought that he was part of a cult when we were teenagers.” Dimitri laughed at some memory. He suddenly fell silent, peering up at Dedue. 

“Yes?” Dedue asked. 

“Nothing,” Dimitri mumbled. “Have I told you about the guest list?” 

The two continued to talk long into the night. 

When the wedding came, Dedue hardly knew what to expect. While he was friends with Bernadetta and he knew Edelgard well enough, he half expected Edelgard to have a hit out on her father and for Bernadetta to have regressed back to her pre-college nerves. Instead, Bernadetta gave him a wide smile and a quick hug when they saw each other before the rehearsal and nothing was set on fire, broken, or even dropped through the entire ceremony. 

Edelgard looked very regal in a red and gold dress, a long train detached and hanging over her chair as she mingled. Bernadetta was in a purple and gold blouse with a matching skirt, a tiara pinned in her hair. It was dyed a soft lilac and Dedue thought it was very nice, which he told her in no uncertain terms. 

“Oh! T-Thank you,” she said. “You look very handsome as well. Both of you do!” She looked at Dimitri, then back at Dedue. “I’m very happy you could make it.”

“I would never miss something so important.” Dedue looked at Edelgard. She was smiling, an expression that Dedue rarely saw on her face. Both of the siblings were very stoic if one didn’t know better. “It really was a beautiful ceremony.”

“It was everything I had hoped,” Edelgard agreed. She looked over the hall, which was decorated to be a tasteful middle ground between fanciful and regal, like the best parts of a Medieval ceremony and a modern wedding. 

There were colored silk drapes, flickering candles, and a live band that seemed able to cover any number of genres. It would have been easy for it to be garish, but nothing even toed that line. Dedue was impressed, would have been even if he hadn’t known how much had gone into it. As it was, the fact that everything was cohesive and Edelgard’s father hadn’t disowned her in a fit of irrational rage was a minor miracle.

“Hopefully Father will be more flexible when it comes time for you,” Edelgard added, eyes falling onto Dimitri. There was a moment as Dedue decided whether he heard her correctly. “Not to assume, but…”

“N-No, it’s fine,” Dimitri croaked. “We, uh, haven’t talked about it.” 

Now Bernadetta was giving him a funny look. Dedue hoped that he looked calm and not like sirens were going off in his head. He and Dimitri had never discussed marriage. Dedue realized that he had just assumed that it would happen when it happened. Dimitri wasn’t conservative, but he was a bit traditional in some matters and Dedue was fine with that. He liked the idea that, someday, he and Dimitri would call each other _husband_ instead of _boyfriend_. Maybe they’d even adopt.

But they had never talked. They had moved in together. They paid bills together. They even had a shared bank account for those bills and for general savings. They were talking about getting a dog. 

Marriage? Dedue was pretty sure he had asked about Dimitri’s star sign more than that.

“Oh.” Edelgard pursed her lips. Before she could say anything, Ferdinand strode through the crowd. 

“Hello, Edelgard! I had to give you my personal congratulations. And you as well, Bernadetta. You both look like radiant queens—” The conversation between the four of them was over and, as Hubert emerged behind his husband, the conversation between Edelgard and her friends began. Out of politeness, Dimitri and Dedue still excused themselves. 

The duo went to a quiet table. There had been assigned seating, but now more people were on the dance floor or bar than eating. No one was there to mind Dimitri and Dedue occupying some space. 

Suddenly, Dedue’s tie felt too tight around his neck. He tugged it loose, though his was still on unlike Caspar’s which had been thrown off as soon as the dance music had started. Dedue could actually still see it dangling out of Linhardt’s pocket. Unlike his two enthusiastic husbands, Linhardt was sitting at a table chatting with Lysithea. 

Dedue didn’t know that Edelgard or Bernadetta _knew_ Lysithea. He could barely remember how he knew her. 

_Is everyone in this city friends with one another?_ He wondered. 

“I have a — a question for you, Dedue,” Dimitri suddenly blurted out. Dedue blinked, looking at him.

“What is your question?” Dedue couldn’t imagine that Dimitri was about to ask _that_ at his own sister’s wedding, step-sister or not. 

“Do you — do you want a drink?” Dimitri looked down at his hands. Dedue had the distinct feeling that the answer was both _yes_ and _let’s talk about our future_. He settled for something in the middle, reaching out and taking one of Dimitri’s hands in his own. “Sorry, I suddenly… Headache.” Dimitri frowned. 

“It is okay.” Dedue tried for a reassuring smile. “I can get us something. Then we can go home if you’re tired. Edelgard will understand.” 

“Do you want to go home?” 

“I want you to be comfortable. I… I would like to be by your side in whatever way you are comfortable with.” 

“And I value your comfort too,” Dimitri quickly responded. “We don’t have to talk about it, but I — I would hope that you would come to me if you were uncomfortable. Or if you wanted something that we did not have.” 

“Of course.” Dedue lifted his hand so he could press his lips to the back of Dimitri’s hand. “I love you.”

“I love you too.” Dimitri laughed. “I sound like such a mess. I think I’m going to get something to drink. No, no, don’t get up. I can do this.” Dimitri walked away, head held high. Dedue felt warmth spread in his chest. 

They could talk about things later. They had all the time in the world. 

_Five_.

“Felix called,” Dimitri said over dinner. Dedue raised an eyebrow, mouth full of curry. “He and Sylvain are getting married.”

Dedue swallowed. “Good for them.” He meant it. Any animosity that he held towards Felix was resolved, the consequence of a terrible teenaged period and equally conflicted college stage. They were never going to be best friends, but they had a strange comradery over the fact that they both valued Dimitri more than words could describe. 

Sylvain was Sylvain. A flirt, a bit of a liar, but a good man at his core. Dedue mentally went through gift ideas. Something practical but pretty would work. Nothing for the kitchen, though. Neither of them cooked very much. 

“I assume that we’re invited? Do they have a date?” He mixed a bit more rice with his curry. It really was good — this place knew how to use spices, unlike half the restaurants Dimitri usually frequented. Thankfully six years of dating meant that Dimitri, even though he couldn’t taste half the time, was starting to appreciate good food. “I assume that they won’t be ones for tradition. I cannot picture Felix in a church. Unless — Dimitri?”

Dimitri jerked up, his face dangerously close to his tikka masala. He blinked a few times, his remaining eye vacant and hazy until he rubbed at it with a curled fist. 

“I — sorry. It is just — Felix would like me to be his best man.” 

Dedue dropped his fork in his curry. 

"Are you accepting?" Dedue asked incredulously. Dimitri shrugged. 

"I am not sure." 

And what more was there to say? There was an entire minefield between Dimitri and Felix. Most of them were dug up, craters rather than danger lingering, but there were too many to count. Dedue had learnt how to navigate around it, had rarely ventured inside, and barely knew the right thing to say now. 

"When was the last time you two interacted alone?" Dedue fished his fork out of his dinner. He set it on his napkin. He suddenly wasn't very hungry. 

"We were alone for a moment during Mercedes New Year's party." Dimitri fiddled with his silverware. "I think that it is good. I want to do this. I think." He hung his head. "I just cannot imagine why he would pick me and not Ashe or Annette." 

"If Felix has asked you, then I assume he has considered all his options. I have never known him to say something he doesn't truly mean." Dedue placed his hands on the table, palms up. "When does he want a response?" 

Dimitri snorted. "He said that he'll let me know when the planning starts. I don't think he has even considered that I wouldn't want to do it. Which, I do. I do want to do it. I just don't want to ruin things." 

"You would not ruin anything." 

"You don't know that." 

"I trust you. From the sound of it, so does Felix." 

Dimitri made a face. Dedue waited. 

"What would I even do? Felix stopped letting Rodrigue pack his lunches when he was ten. I'll be surprised if Sylvain gets any say in their wedding." Dimitri laughed. It came out mildly hysterical, but Dedue could respect that. "I thought that something had happened when he called me. I don't think that he's ever called me before. He usually just texts." 

"Sylvain will live." Dedue looked down at his dinner. He looked at Dimitri. "I think that you will make a great best man. It cannot be any more difficult than when you assisted with Edelgard." 

"I was not Edelgard's best man." Dimitri sighed and stood. "Well, I better officially accept the offer. Clear communication or something." He waved a hand. "I will help do dishes once I am done, my love." 

Dedue couldn't help but chuckle. "I can manage. It was only take out." 

To texted Felix and Sylvain later, a simple _Congratulations_ and a quick _Please let me know if I can assist at all._

_Thanks,_ Felix responded. 

_Oh huh I guess fe was serious when he said he was asking dimi to be his best man lol thanks_ , Sylvain said. 

Two days later, the official announcement went up. 

Eight months later, the wedding of Sylvain Jose Gautier and Felix Hugo Fraldarius occurred. 

It was a small wedding. They had only invited their closest friends. According to Dimitri, there was a big argument between Rodrigue and Felix about whether there was going to be, well, a wedding at all. Felix had insisted that it would be a party with close friends and some papers would be signed the next day. It was Sylvain who had confessed that he wanted a ceremony. 

Despite the discourse, it was lovely. 

The entire thing was outside, leaves falling gently from autumn trees. It was cold enough that Dedue didn't mind being in a suit, but not so cold that he felt like he wanted a heater. 

Felix and Sylvain walked down the aisle together. Byleth was the officiate and had on the same suit as they were during the Linhardt-Caspar-Ashe wedding. Felix had a red bowtie and Sylvain had a blue tie. Rodrigue was crying. So was Felix, but no one was brave enough to point that out. 

Dimitri gave a heartfelt speech about achieving closeness through adversity and building on foundations wrought from the steel of challenge. Ingrid, who was Sylvain's person of honor, spoke about how she originally thought of love as two puzzle pieces fitting together.

"But what Sylvain and Felix have showed me is that I was wrong," she said. 

"Wow, this is the best wedding gift you could have given me," Sylvain heckled, laughing at his own joke. Dedue smirked. There were some things that age couldn't bring, and a certain level of maturity was one of them. 

"Yes, well, you get one from me." Ingrid cleared her throat, looking back at her paper. "What you two showed me is that love isn't about two puzzle pieces fitting together. It's not two halves. It's two wholes, two colors complimenting each other to form something better. Felix, you're blue. You're the color of the ocean and the sky, cold and bold and a bit sad but also brave. Sylvain's you're red. Loud and the color of lovers and life, but also subtle when it counts. Together, you make something different. Something new. Something, hopefully, better." Ingrid folded the paper back up. The applause was deafening. 

Sylvain and Felix both gave her a hug, the former murmuring something too softly for Dedue or the microphone to hear. Then, the last speeches completed, the music resumed and dessert was served. 

Several hours, five dances, one awkward occasion where Rodrigue was sobbing while holding Felix, and three broken glasses later, the wedding was officially over. 

Sylvain sat in a chair, his tie loose around his neck. Felix was sitting next to him, the two holding hands and constantly playing with the other’s wedding ring. Ingrid was next to him, looking mildly exhausted but happy. Dimitri and Dedue were across from them, both with their jackets discarded and much more casual. 

There was music playing from someone’s phone. The cleaning staff worked around them, but everyone else was gone. It was nice.

“We should get to the hotel,” Felix said once again, something he had been saying for the last hour. 

“Yeah,” Sylvain agreed. No one moved. 

“We can get your gifts back to your apartment,” Ingrid promised. “I’m not tired.” She yawned, immediately disproving her point. 

“This was nice,” Felix admitted. Sylvain kissed him on the cheek. Felix made a face, but he squeezed Sylvain’s hand. “I guess you were right. It wasn’t a horrible decision.” 

“And your dad paid the bill, so we can definitely do this again sometime,” Sylvain joked. He looked at Dimitri, his smile morphing into something a little more sly. “So, Dimitri.” 

For his credit, Dimitri seemed to pick up on the fact that something was happening. He leaned forward, crossing his arms in a way that made his biceps larger. Dedue didn’t know how much of an active decision it was — Dimitri had done this every since they were in high school. 

“Yes, Sylvain?” Dimitri asked. 

“I was wondering,” Sylvain said, “When you are going to tie the knot?” 

Dedue sighed. Dimitri spluttered. Ingrid rolled her eyes, gently smacking Sylvain on the shoulder. 

“What?” Sylvain exclaimed. “I’m only asking.”

“It’s a weird question,” Ingrid argued. There was silence as the group seemed to process what Sylvain had even asked. Dimitri didn’t seem terribly mortified, but he didn’t offer up an answer either. 

_Does it really seem that obvious?_ Dedue wondered. He looked at his hands. He tried picturing a ring there. 

Felix yawned, stretching his arms wide and almost smacking Sylvain in the face. Sylvain laughed.

“Love, you look like you’re about to fall asleep.”

“No, ‘m not,” Felix argued. He blinked his eyes. “What time is it?” 

Sylvain checked his phone and pat Felix on the back. “I think we should get to the hotel before you can’t walk.” He stood, tugging Felix to his feet. They kissed and Felix must have been more tired than he was letting on because he just melted into Sylvain’s arms. 

It was almost unbearably tender. Dedue looked away. He started when he felt something touch his hand — it was just Dimitri, who hesitated with an unasked question on his lips. Dedue laced their fingers together. He smiled. Dimitri returned it, eye soft in the dim light. 

“Come on, I’ll help get you to the car,” Ingrid volunteered. Dimitri began to stand as well, but Felix glared at him. 

“I don’t need your help,” he declared, as if he wasn’t using Sylvain to keep himself standing upright. “Good night!” He said it with force, spinning around and marching away. Sylvain smiled, a content sigh escaping. He trailed after his husband, a dreamy smile on his face. 

Ingrid followed, though not before shooting a look at Dimitri. He shrugged, eye wide. Ingrid rolled her eyes but she didn’t look upset about it as she left. 

The music was still playing. Dedue couldn’t recognize it. There were strings, a drum. Something soft and steady, almost like a heartbeat late at night. 

“I love you,” Dedue said. Dimitri looked at him. Dedue looked back. “I love you,” Dedue repeated.

“And I love you, my dear.” Dimitri licked his lips. He opened his mouth, but Dedue cut him off. 

“Whenever you are ready, I will take that next step with you. But only when you are ready.” There was palpable relief in Dimitri’s shoulders. Dedue moved his chair so he could lean against him, their knees knocking under the table. “We have all the time in the world.” 

“All the time is only worth it if I’m with you,” Dimitri replied. 

_Plus One._

Dedue wore blue to his wedding. His suit was dark with silver buttons. He braided his hair, let Dorothea put eyeliner on him and agreed to going to a mani-pedi with Annette and Mercedes. Ashe, as his best man, was by his side through all of it. Dedue knew he had picked well when there was almost a problem with the flowers. Almost, because Ashe just picked up the phone and put on the most positive and threatening voice Dedue had ever heard. 

Dimitri wore silver with sparkles of blue, his hair pulled up out of his face and his eyepatch trimmed in gold. He beamed at Dedue as they met at the altar, his tears only illuminating his blue eye even further. Dedue was careful to brush the tears aside, his gloves no doubt soft against Dimitri’s skin. 

Byleth led the ceremony — the third for this group of friends and most likely not the last. Their suit was the same as every other time. Dedue wouldn’t have it any other way. 

“Do you, Dedue Molinaro, take Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd to be your lawfully wedded husband?” Byleth asked. 

Dedue’s hands were steady as he slipped the ring over Dimitri’s finger. It was solid gold, twisting at the top and forming an abstract pattern. Inside, their initials were etched in elegant script. 

“I do.”

Byleth didn’t smile, but their lips twitched as they looked at Dimitri. 

“And do you, Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd—”

“Yes.” Dimitri blushed. He fumbled with the ring, pausing only when Dedue placed his hand over Dimitri’s and forced him to take a moment to breathe. “I do,” Dimitri whispered reverently, dexterously placing the ring on Dedue’s finger. 

“Then, by the power placed in me by the state of California, I now declare you two husbands. You may kiss—” 

Neither of them waited. Dedue cradled Dimitri’s face in his hands and Dimitri threw his arms around Dedue’s neck, fresh waterworks starting. Their friends burst into cheers, Sylvain definitely wolf-whistling. Flayn and Dorothea scattered flower petals in the air. Dedue’s friends from work stomped their feet and clapped their hands in rhythm — later, they would sit under the silken canopy while sugar was grated over their heads. A table was already laid out with spices, coins, food, and more — all the things they’d need to bless the union. 

It wasn’t a Christian wedding and it wasn’t a Muslim one either — neither Dimitri nor Dedue had much room in their hearts for something so tied in complex feelings and bittersweet memories. But it would have felt wrong to exclude those aspects entirely. It was why they were in a beautiful church, why Dedue would be brushing sugar out of his hair for a while yet, why the music wasn’t just pop classics. 

The food, too, was an amalgamation of cultures. Dedue had politely suggested a few places and Dimitri had indicated which he felt best about. The flowers were native to the region, the food from a culture originating hundreds of miles away.

The speeches were when Dedue started to feel his chest ache with emotion.

“Some might come up here and talk about how the two of you have a storybook relationship. You met when you were kids. You’ve been through hell and back again. You’ve held each other through it all, been the other’s rock. And now you’re getting married. I would say that they’re full of shit.” 

Felix had cried when Dimitri asked him to be best man — a fact that Dedue only knew from a very drunk Sylvain — but his voice was steady in his speech. In many ways, it echoed the one Dimitri had given at Felix’s own wedding. Dedue wondered if they were even aware of that. 

“Dimitri, you’re no prince. You work too hard without care about your own health. You’re incredibly slow at picking up subtext. You’re late to things constantly because you stopped to help someone pulled over at the side of the road and you’re lucky you’re rich because you keep giving all your spare change away to homeless people.

“Dedue, you’re no knight in shining armor. You might know how to cook and bake, but you also internalize all of your emotions and you don’t know how to be vulnerable. You try to keep everyone at arm’s length because you lost people in the past and you can’t get over that fact. Even when your friends — and yes, I include myself on that list because we aren’t sixteen anymore — tell you that you can relax, you keep your walls built.” 

It might have been the closest Felix came to an open compliment, so Dedue would take it in stride. There was no malicious intent in his voice and any hatchets were long since buried, now twisted in the roots of blossoming flowers. Dedue preferred it this way. He knew that Dimitri would have picked him over his friends, but the fact that it was never a question meant more than Dedue knew how to phrase. 

“Somehow, despite all of this, the two of you are good men. Your qualities shine in the darkest nights. You champion those who cannot help themselves.” Felix winced. “You give second and third and fourth chances even to people who don’t deserve them. You are good men and the world doesn’t like good men.” 

Dedue heard Dimitri sniff. He wrapped an arm around his shoulders and mouthed _Thank you_ when Ashe handed him a box of tissues. Felix watched Dimitri but, after determining that it was good crying, continued. 

“It does its best to tear them down, to force them to experience the suffering of reality. You two have been through some of the worst things this world has to offer. You know better than most why idealism is naive and chivalry is for fools. But you continue to hope. I don’t know whether that makes you the bigger fools or if we should blindly idolize you for that. What I do know is that you make each other happy.” Felix glanced at Sylvain. Just for a moment, something Dedue almost missed, but it was there. “You see the bad in each other and love each other anyways. I can’t hate that. No one can hate that.” 

Dimitri snorted. He was smiling. Dedue wondered if he knew this would happen when he asked Felix to be his best man. It certainly wasn’t like any speech Dedue had heard before. And Felix wasn’t even done.

“In stories, you get told that your happy ending comes after the knight defeats the dragon. They don’t tell you that more dragons appear again and again, no matter how many you kill. They don’t tell you about the mounds and mounds of paperwork the prince has to fill out in order to rule his kingdom. They don’t tell you about the danger of peasant uprisings or plagues or war.

“But they got one thing right. Despite everything, you two still are riding off into the sunset. So here’s to you two — the world’s worst prince and his knight in shining armor, joined together on this fine day in holy matrimony, a giant screw you to the establishment and a promise of a better future.” Felix raised his glass. “To your imperfect picture book ending.” 

There was a second of hesitation. Dimitri was the first to stand, Dedue’s arm falling away from him. Rubbing uselessly at his eye, Dimitri pulled Felix into a one-armed hug. 

“Thank you, Felix.” 

“Yeah, well, don’t get used to it,” Felix muttered. 

Permission granted, the cheering began. Dedue also forced Felix to hug him, smiling with a healthy amount of mirth in his eyes. 

“That was very poetic of you,” Dedue commented. Felix rolled his eyes, but his hug was genuine. Once he was done, Dedue looked to Ashe. “Are you ready?” He asked. 

Ashe gave him a nervous laugh. “Do I have much of a choice?” 

“If I gave my speech, you better give yours,” Felix shot at him, arms crossed as he sat back down. He looked very smug about his statement, as if his eyes weren’t a little red. 

“I am sure your speech is just as good,” Dimitri reassured him. 

Ashe took in a deep breath. He held out his hand and someone gave him the mic. It took him a moment to unfold his paper, the creases betraying how many times he had practiced. 

“So, as we all know, Dedue is one of the best bakers in the whole world. Sorry, Mercedes.” Ashe smiled as good-natured laughter rolled through the crowd. Of course Ashe would have a softer speech — he was all smiles in contrast to Felix’s scowls. It was only natural. “One of my first memories is crying in the dorm kitchen because I managed to burn a batch of cookies and Dedue, a complete stranger, offering to help me make another dozen. It was two am on a Wednesday, I’m sobbing in my Captain America pajamas, and Dedue looks like an angel sent from God himself.

“Naturally, I was absolutely crushed when I learnt that he had a boyfriend.” More laughter, not the least from Dimitri himself. Dedue found himself smiling, half-covering his face with his free hand. The other had been claimed, as per usual, by Dimitri. By his _husband_. 

Ashe had a rueful smile on his face. He seemed fine poking fun at himself — it made sense considering he had two husbands now. 

“But, in exchange for that lovely night where Dedue taught me the best way to make sugar cookies, I thought that I would share my recipe for a happy marriage today — one inspired very much by Dedue.” Ashe adjusted his hold on the paper. “First, prepare your ingredients. We recommend two men bound together by mutual understanding and respect. While it is important that they get along, do not be too afraid of some conflict. They should challenge each other to be the best and always strive towards improvement, while also understanding the other’s limitations and embracing them rather than hiding them.

“Other ingredients are optional, but popular pairings include meddlesome friends, mutual interests, and a strong support system. It’s also a good idea to pair a good drink with any partnership. Or, depending on how troublesome your friends are, a few drinks.

“Have the two partners be friends for several years. The longer, the better. A slow burn is preferred, to avoid the risk of something crashing and burning. After the preparation — some may call it a _mary-nation_ — finishes, begin the dating cycle. This is a precarious time. Things change. Expectations are met or adjusted and communication is extremely important. If you have trouble speaking in person, messages can suffice, but nothing will truly make up for face-to-face conversation. Remember that not everyone speaks the same way. Some people are very earnest and open, free with their vulnerabilities and clear with their boundaries. In the real world, we call these people impossible to find.

“If you have selected the right partners, though, then they will soar through this phase. Now, it is best not to rush to the next step. While some are eager to achieve marriage, it’s a huge step and takes a lot of preparation. It’s critical that both partners are ready for this step. You might have outside forces try to dictate when this happens, but it’s never going to be as authentic if you aren’t ready for it.

“At the wedding, don’t forget the important bits. There’s the cake, the awkward dancing and you should have one friend ready to get super drunk and embarrass himself. Thanks, Sylvain.”

Dedue laughed, a welcome break from the water that was starting to cloud his vision. 

“You’re welcome,” Sylvain shouted, sounding eager to fulfill this obligation. Felix elbowed him in the side with the subtlety of a rampaging bull. “I’m just completing my mission, Fe,” Sylvain argued. 

“We can’t forget the most important part, though” Ashe jumped in before his speech could go too off the rails. “Dedue, you’re like the solid base of any recipe. The broth in a stew, the flour in a cake, or the meat in a curry. You’re the part that people see first, the bold flavors that can be easily misunderstood. In so many lives, including mine, you’re a steady presence that never wavers. Like your mother’s special broth when you’re sick or the traditional bread with yeast inherited over generations, you’re the solid core of this recipe. Without you, there’s nothing to taste. Still, you can be overlooked and underappreciated, a true crime against sensibility. 

“And as ironic as it may be, you’re the spices in this recipe, Dimitri. You’re the subtle flavors that add to the whole and you’re the additions that can be quickly overpowering if the perfect union isn’t found. Everyone knows that salt helps with flavor, that you can’t really have a good time without some pepper, but people are also quick to blame the seasoning for problems when really it’s their own inability to handle the spices properly that causes their own downfall. 

“Now, I’m sure that people will disagree with me when I say this, but the best part about this recipe is that it isn’t finished yet. I could talk about how you want to let the ingredients simmer for a few years while they do their best to recreate the plot of _How I Met Your Mother_ because two of them don’t realize they’re in love with each other. Thanks, Sylvain. I could talk about the job changes, the hectic moves, and the ill-advised pub crawls that really stop being so much fun once you’re over thirty. But those are all less important than what’s left.

“There’s still so many pages to fill up in this recipe. It’s something tender, something gentle. Something brave and something bold. It’s the steps to a happy marriage and I cannot wait to see how it unfolds.” Ashe picked up his glass with shaking hands. “To Dimitri and Dedue. May you never run out of thyme or flour, may you never simmer over fights or mull over bad decisions. May you relish in each other’s company and may your bowls and wallets never empty. Congratulations.” Ashe took a drink. 

Dedue wiped at his eyes with one hand and had to fumble to get his drink up in time because he didn't want to let go of Dimitri's. This toast was a bit louder than what Felix had gotten, but there wasn't a shred of animosity between the two as Ashe folded up his paper for the last time. Dedue managed to strong arm Ashe into a hug, lifting him several inches off the ground. 

"Did you like it?" Ashe asked. 

"It was perfect." Dedue found himself glancing at Dimitri, who was once more losing the war against his tears. "Thank you. I will let you know how the recipe works." 

Ashe laughed. "I hope it's good. If it's anywhere near those cookies, then it'll be great." 

Soon after the speeches, it was time for the cake. Then, Dedue felt like he blinked and they were dancing, hands entwined as they swayed along to some soft song that stirred at his heartstrings. Dimitri rest his head on Dedue's shoulder and Dedue could feel their hearts beating together. Though his eyes were half-closed, he could see the bright faces of their friends.

Mercedes and Annette, both of when were staving off tears. Felix, who looked like he was actually enjoying himself, and Sylvain, who had certainly done his best to drink as much as he could before his husband stopped him. Petra and Dorothea stood next to Bernadetta and Edelgard, the former with her hands clasped together and no doubt thinking of how to incorporate this into her next book. 

Ingrid was standing next to Reza and Armad, two of Dedue's friends. Kamya sat in her wheelchair and swayed with the beat while Majid held onto the chair to make sure it didn't sway with her. Rodrigue looked on the dance floor, at Dimitri and Dedue, with unabashed pride. Dedue thought it barely held a candle to how he had been at Felix's wedding and hoped that Felix saw and could recognize that, through everything, his father did love him. 

And then, standing a little away from the others, Byleth remained. Their eyes were passive and their mouth a thin line, but they looked at Dedue and nodded, just once. It was enough. 

But the person who Dedue's attention really lay with was in his arms, eye closed, slowly crossing the dance floor a half-step behind the music. Dimitri smelled like old trees, like rain water, like grass right before the sun evaporated the morning dew. He was soft even though his hands were rough and, when he lifted his head as the music faded, his eye shone brighter than the sun and the stars. 

"I love you," Dimitri murmured. 

"I love you," Dedue echoed. They kissed. Everything felt right. 

It was perfect.

**Author's Note:**

> Find me on [Twitter!](https://twitter.com/ashes8012)


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